The ban is the first of its kind to come into force in Europe, Vandenbroucke said, but Belgium is not alone. Australia has limited the sale of vapes to pharmacies and the U.K. has banned single-use vapes starting in June 2025.
Vandenbroucke said he wants the changes to go further than Belgium. “We are really calling on the European Commission to come forward now with new initiatives to update, to modernize, the tobacco legislation,” he said.
In June, 12 EU member countries — including the largest economies France and Germany — called on the Commission to push through already-delayed smoking reforms.
The Commission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Under the new Belgian rules, reusable vapes are not banned; Vandenbroucke said they can be helpful for people trying to quit smoking. Steven Pomeranc, owner of the Vapotheque shop in Brussels, told the AP that he thinks the ban will not hurt sales because people can use rechargeable vapes instead.
